


Instructions Manual To Accepting Your Racially Mixed Friend

by zanerak21



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alien Racism, Canon Compliant, Gen, alien discrimination, follows canon exactly i hope, i love writing at 4 in the morning, i wrote this cuz the way this part was resolved was kind of sudden and weird, so hopefully some Inner Monologuing can help even though i Suck, writing gets lazier and worser as you scroll down
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-10
Updated: 2018-08-10
Packaged: 2019-06-25 08:29:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15637008
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/zanerak21/pseuds/zanerak21
Summary: In which the Power of Friendship overcomes years of deeply ingrained racism: my interpretation of Allura's and Keith's individual thought processes following the Galra reveal





	Instructions Manual To Accepting Your Racially Mixed Friend

**Author's Note:**

> First of all, I would just like to say, I hope you're not here looking for something humorous or, as the humans say, "fluffy", because, I'm not that funny, sorry man.
> 
> Secondly, this is my first... real fic so... my friend tells me a lot of people say "this is my first fic so be nice" but to be honest I'm about to go for a CS major because my English is garbage so I could use some constructive criticism on my writing so feel free to, uh, constructively criticize...
> 
> Thirdly, I hope you guys weren't looking for something like... super... creative or interesting like "Hunk and the Space Mice go to the grocery store and meet a llama" or something, because this is basically exactly what happens in canon during the last couple episodes of Season 2 except now with inner monologuing so... I literally transcribed all the relevant dialogue to make it as close to canon as possible so yeah um.
> 
> Also, I'm pretty bad with feelings so I don't know why I wrote this,
> 
> So all that being said, enjoy, if possible

Keith spends a lot of time staring quietly at the ground after the Paladins find the Blade of Marmora. Everyone knows what he’s thinking about, and everyone knows that everyone else is also thinking about it, but no one (except Hunk) tries to talk about it.

Keith himself feels disoriented at the whole ordeal. He just discovered the answer behind the the mystery of where he came from, something he’d been chasing after his whole life; yet, he feels little relief upon learning of his Galra ancestry - partially due to the fact that it means he’s part Galra, but also because he’s beginning to realize that a Galran bloodline only answers part of his questions.

What he really wanted to know, he realizes, actually comprised of many different components: who was his mother? How had his father met someone of Galran blood? How could he love a Galran? Did he even love her? Did she love him? Was she even fully Galran? In which case, how much of him was Galra? And - even though he tries to push the seeds of doubt out of his mind - does that mean he’s… evil? Destined to turn against Voltron and the Paladins trying to protect the universe from tyranny? He understands it’s a stupid thought - he knows himself, knows that being part Galra has no impact on who he is - but he decides that given the bombshell news regarding his identity, he’s allowed some quiet time to process the new information.

Keith is also not completely oblivious. He can tell some of the others on the castle have been glancing over at him more than usual, quickly looking away before getting caught.

Shiro, bless his soul, has successfully managed to make Keith feel a little normal by - not shockingly - acting normal towards Keith.

Unfortunately, the younger Paladins are much less tactful. Pidge stares blatantly at Keith in unmasked awe and wonder every few seconds; Hunk constantly bugs Keith about the implications of his newfound ancestry; Lance, usually much more confrontational and talkative, keeps opening his mouth to say something impulsive, before thinking better of it (surprising Keith by making a wise decision) and walking away awkwardly, scratching his head.

Keith is slightly annoyed by all this, but he doesn’t particularly care what the other Paladins think.

However, he is indeed anxious about his relationship with the Alteans, for obvious reasons; Allura, especially, frequently looks at him in a way that makes him feel guilty about even being alive. It’s the kind of look that he would, if he didn’t know better, interpret as a command to prepare the shipment of his corpse into the vicinity of the nearest imminent supernova.

Thankfully, Coran doesn’t seem to dislike him or anything, but he doesn’t exactly provide a comforting presence either, appearing constantly worried and apprehensive whenever Allura and Keith are in the same room.

Allura doesn’t hide her contempt for the Galrans even in the delicate beginnings of Voltron’s newly developed alliance with the Blade. Keith’s mind is only partially detached as he hears Allura warn accusingly, “as long as we all stick to the plan, it should work,” emphasis on the word “all” a clear challenge to the trustworthiness of the Blade fighters - the Galrans - standing before her, a challenge that Keith feels strike him by extension.

“It will work,” Kolivan insists confidently, defiant and unwavering. “Perhaps, then, you’ll learn that not all Galra are as bad as Zarkon.”

Allura’s hard gaze turns toward Keith. “I hope so,” she says. Her tone is cold, but earnest.

Later, she watches Shiro bid Keith farewell, and catches Keith’s eyes as he pulls away from Shiro’s embrace. His eyes are firm but hopeful, as if searching for the slightest hint of approval, but Allura simply looks away. 

Keith casts his eyes downward, trying not to feel his heart drop as well. As much as he tells himself he doesn’t care, he finds it really does hurt to find that what used to be friendship has become antagonistic in nature.

 

Allura’s mind is muddled as she tries and fails to sort out her thoughts. She can’t - won’t - accept that Keith could be the enemy. She knows she’s reacting more strongly than the other crew members, who simply seem wary of her reaction toward Keith and often give her sympathetic looks. She can’t blame them. The Paladins all know they were fighting against the Galra because they were the bad guys, but none of them except maybe Shiro had personal experience with the horrors of the Galra empire. Allura wholeheartedly believes - no, knows - that the Galra are evil. Not a single Galran she’d met had been good, and while she is pretty much alone in distrusting Ulaz, she knows he must have been tricking Shiro and the others; humans get especially attached to the dead, and call her cold-hearted, but she isn't inclined to see someone in a better light just because they're dead.

Keith being Galran pulled Allura’s mind in too many directions at once; she didn’t know whether to question her entire relationship with someone she’d gotten so close to, or to question her a conviction that had nearly dictated her entire life for so many years. It made her realize she would need to re-examine her judgment of Ulaz, as well as all the relationships she had developed over time. She was angry at the complication this had brought into her life, angry that she may have to change everything she stood for in life.

 

On the Yellow Lion, Keith is becoming increasingly frustrated with Hunk’s teasing, as well as his incessant - and ridiculous - questions. On one hand, he’s relieved the Yellow Paladin doesn’t harbor any ill emotions toward him. On the other hand, Hunk is a little too casual about his Galra-ness, using it to continually make fun of Keith, who really doesn’t want to think about this during an important mission that might determine the fate of the entire universe. Keith blows up a bit at some point when Hunk’s untethered curiosity starts hitting too many sore spots, but he knows his friend means well.

When he meets the soldier inside the Weblum after his separation from Hunk, Keith is immediately combative.

“You’re Galra,” he states pointedly, his manner making it clear what his thoughts are regarding this epiphany. But at the first sign of the soldier willing to cooperate, Keith feels hope stir at the back of his mind.

“I guess you can keep your weapon,” he decides.

Hunk is more than happy to reunite with his fellow Paladin, bounding across the Weblum’s stomach in relief like a puppy. “Keith! Keith, you made it! We both made it! Who is this?” he breathes excitedly.

“Someone I found. He doesn’t talk much. Also, he’s Galra,” Keith responds, daring Hunk to challenge him, which he does (after another unsolicited Galra joke).

“What, do you all know each other or something?” Hunk laughs, and then lowers his voice. “Are you sure we should be rescuing a Galra soldier right now?”

“We’re Paladins of Voltron. We can’t just leave people to die, even if they are Galra.” Keith’s voice is full of conviction - a little too much, as if he’s trying to convince himself that he’s not trying to prove something to the Paladins, to himself, to Allura. “Now, come on. Let’s get what we came for and get out.”

And when they do so, the Galra soldier reveals his true intentions, bag of scaultrite in one hand, gun pointed at Keith in the other, and Keith feels a part of himself crumple up, although he has to admit he isn’t surprised at all.

“So, you’re just like the rest of ‘em,” Keith says to the Galran, disappointed and resigned, and the words mean more to him than the now-departing soldier could ever realize.

He brushes off the incident as much as he can; it’s not that important anyway, he tells himself, and turns his mind back to the mission, remembering Hunk is awaiting his return.

“I’m coming out,” he says into the helmet.

 

“Allura, have you heard from Coran?”

“Yes.”

The Paladins await elaboration and receive none. Keith is, again, disappointed, but unsurprised.

Lance, incapable of enduring more than two seconds of awkward (or, from Keith’s experience, any) silence, saves the day. “So, we ready to pop through the wormhole and get back to Olkarion?”

Allura turns around, eyes bright and excited. “Yes, I’ve checked in with Coran and the teludav is nearly complete.” She shifts her gaze toward the Yellow Paladin. “Hunk, thank you for getting the scaultrite.”

“No problem.” Hunk beams, then frowns, noting the obvious exclusion. “You know, Keith was there too,” he reminds the Altean, innocently optimistic, and Keith has to feel grateful to have such a friend as Hunk.

But he can’t smile when Allura turns to look at him with a glare full of nothing but anger.

 

Allura tries to think of it as little as she can, but every time she sees Keith she is reminded of everything the Galra - Keith’s people - have done to others, to herself; she’s reminded of all the good that has been destroyed by the Galra, and she remembers her father. And so every time she sees Keith, she can do nothing but look at him angrily. She can’t be anything but angry, because he’s Galran, and even angrier because she still loves him. Because it’s Keith. Because it’s her friend.

But she’s also afraid.

 

“I’ll do it.”

“What?” Allura is stunned by the declaration, as if Keith hasn’t always been that way: the first to fling himself at dangerous opportunities, determined to do whatever it takes to accomplish what he needs to.

“I’ll sneak onto Zarkon’s ship. I’m Galra, so I’ll be able to interact with their technology.” Keith turns. “Pidge, you can rig up one of those pods with a cloaking device, right?”

“Well, yeah.”

Kolivan cuts in, expressing clear disapproval. “Going onto Zarkon’s ship is a suicide mission. I would never command someone so inexperienced to go on a mission so dangerous.”

“No one’s commanding me. I’m doing it.” Keith’s fiery stubbornness reminds Allura of who he is, and she feels her self-confidence begin to falter. Maybe she was wrong.

 

And then she realizes her self-assuredness began faltering much earlier, from when she first heard the shocking news about Keith’s bloodline. The whole time she had just been in denial, clinging to the anti-Galran sentiment that had spurred her on for so long. Because it was Keith, and what had she been thinking, believing that Keith couldn’t be trusted?

 

“Pidge, may I have a moment with Keith, please?” Allura stares firmly at the Paladin, any hesitant thoughts overridden by sheer determination, armed with the knowledge that this may be the last chance she could get.

Pidge shifts her eyes quickly between Allura and Keith, apprehensive, and turns to walk out the door. “Sure thing,” she muttered. “Have all the moments you like.”

“Is there something I can help you with?” Keith states, his fierce expression a challenge, and Allura feels a pang of regret as she realizes how she must have made Keith feel, that he must be expecting her to confront him with aggressive intent.

“I… I just wanted to say…” she pauses before mentally discarding her planned speech, letting her honest feelings dictate her words. “The Galra, they’ve done terrible things. Destroyed entire civilizations. They took my family.” Keith looks down in understanding, and a bit of guilt. “But, in time, I’ve grown to consider you and the paladins my family. So, when I learned you were Galra, I… I didn’t know what to think. I wanted to hate you.”

“Allura. It’s…”

Allura cuts him off, not wanting her will to waver before she finishes what she wants to say. “But it’s not you. It’s me. My anger has blinded me for too long.” She pulls Keith into a hug, and Keith feels himself fill with warmth, with validation he didn’t know he’d been needing. “I’m so sorry I judged you. You’ve proven… it’s not what’s in your blood, it’s who you are that counts.” She pulls away, eyes swimming with desperation as her hands grasp his arms imploringly. “Please… come back to us.”

Keith answers without missing a beat. “I will.”

**Author's Note:**

> Ok I just feel like it's really important for me to note that I watched this show (or like this part of the show I guess) WAY long ago so I completely forgot that the identity of the Galran soldier Keith and Hunk meet is Acxa (in case you couldn't tell from my tags) so I just felt a need to mention that, uh, I know now... it's a tiny part anyway and I know stealing the scaultrite doesn't make her evil but that's not what Keith thought at the moment... and also, I maintain the usage of male pronouns because it's from Keith's perspective and he thought it was a male fighter at that moment
> 
> I also want to apologize for any characterization errors, because I am Bad, but also if there are any portrayals of the other characters that don't seem 100% appropriate, please again remember that this is exclusively from Keith and Allura's point of view
> 
> Also, I just stayed up to watch Season 7 starting at like 4 in the morning and didn't sleep until 10 am and I want to die... but wow that was a ride... did not match my expectations at all, and considering what I've seen on Tumblr, everyone else is kind of pissed but like, they did make some stupid choices but there's still a Season 8 guys! Have faith! The show's not meant to have romance be a big part of it anyway! I mean, Adam and Allura got did dirty with their respective romances, and Lance and Coran are still being treated like jokes, but, come on, Hunk actually got screen time! Wow! And Shay!! Wow!! And surely you guys enjoyed Matt in a ponytail?
> 
> Anyway, the point is, Season 7 may have been disappointing regarding the romance arcs, but aside from that it was still pretty epic... like... the imagery of the lions falling toward earth in association with their respective elements was bloody gorgeous! And the fight scenes were so cool! Plus, patience yields focus - wait sorry, patience is virtue! So let's just take what we can out of Season 7 and wait until Season 8 to cast a final judgment on the show as a whole
> 
> And also stop hating on everyone even remotely involved in the making of this show! Most of them probably don't even get a say in what happens, and besides they worked so hard to give us what we have now. Please, appreciate it!


End file.
